Metcalf on the market‼️ 'Can see why Warriors had to do this' | NRL 360

Warriors agree to release Luke Metcalfe at season's end.Dave, how did this go down?

Yeah, look, it's all a byproduct of the extension of Tanner Boyd, the current starting halfback for the New Zealand Warriors.His multi -year extension has basically triggered this domino effect onto Luke Metcalfe and the process now of him going to the Warriors today and that club declaring via a statement that he has permission to negotiate with rival clubs and potentially leave at the end of this season.

Gordy, first thoughts on this?Well I thought it was great news yesterday when they signed Tanner Boyd and I thought well the next piece of the puzzle was going to be Metcalfe.I thought it'd be perfect if he slots in and they were the halves partners for the next four or five years.That's what I thought so it's a shock to me.

It is a shock.My understanding is that Metcalfe sees himself as a seven.The club at the moment sees Tanner Boyd as a seven.Metcalfe thinks And I can understand this side of it, you know, I can understand the fact that you get one career and if you think your best football is going to be played in the 7 jumper and the way the Warriors play, like the 7's on the ball all the time, the 5 -8 sits on the edge, I can understand that but I can also understand how it would be pretty frustrating for the Warriors who went in heavy for him last year and a few rounds after his return this has just exploded.

Well, let's get to this first.Why would they let him go?You just mentioned it there.Very good last year, leading the Daily M's in fine form until he did his ACL.They don't have a lot of depth in the halves, I believe.I mean, Harris Tavita has been playing really good footy, but he was talking to the Cowboys only a couple of weeks ago, so they were probably intending on letting him go and keeping Metcalf and Boyd.

But at the end of the day, they need to release Metcalf, regardless of his thoughts and feelings.And they have.Why do you think they've done this?

I think it comes down to Luke more than the club and ultimately when When football clubs need to assess their salary cap, and I think this is the key influence on this decision, is Luke's in their top three highest paid players.He's in at around $900 ,000 a season.So when they're weighing up their salary cap position and their roster spots, if they've got Luke Metcalf declaring, I want to play halfback, I want to be the man, I want to run a team, I did that for you last year, but now you've re -signed Tanner Boyd, clearly I'm not going to be that person.And that's where the Warriors have gone, well, why carry a player on that size of money in the roster for any longer?

It's a big turnaround from last year when they announced that they'd re -signed him.Massive, until 2028.On big dollars and he was our future and the star of the club, he was going to be their pin -up boy, all of that.And that's why I'm a little bit shocked, not with the Warriors letting him go, because I can understand that, right?When you look at the situation as it is, he wants to play seven.He's, I think, He's jumped the gun a little bit and not given it enough of a crack to partner Boyd in the halves.

I look at Metcalf and he's one of those halves in our competition I think can play 6 or 7.There's not many that can, I think he's one of them.I think he can be just as dominant at 6 as he would be at 7 when he's got Tanner Boyd playing his side because Tanner Boyd's a really simplistic player.very effective and his kicking game has been great, his passing has been on point and he runs the ball like this and has been effective at it but he's not the over dominant seven.Now Metcalfe's played 21 games at 5 -8 for the Warriors so it's not like he hasn't played 5 -8 but it just seems like from what I'm reading and seeing and hearing is that he wasn't willingto even give it a go.

Now the Warriors have probably just reacted to that too and thought, well mate if you're not putting the team first here and you're not willing to even give it a crack after we've put a lot of time, effort and money into you.then you're probably not the right man for the club.That's what I'm seeing from the outside.

I thought it would have worked.Do you think it would have worked?

Of course I do.I think at least give it a try.But I think it definitely could work.I do believe that.People may disagree.

See the halves have been going particularly well.And they've been going particularly well because of Tener Boyd.And the way that he controls the team.So on what we've seen so far, and I praise Andrew Webster for doing it too.He's come in this year, he's done exactly what was asked of him and he's done it to a pretty high level.So I praise Webster for doing what he did, but I can also understand the other side of it.

If the bloke thinks that style of footy's not going to bring out the best in me, I really can.Although, from a team first perspective, it could be hugely detrimental to the Warriors going forward if Metcalfe ends up getting an early release for this year, right?And something was to happen to one of the two of those quotes.

Could that happen while we're there, quickly?Could he get an early release?

Brafe, my conversations today is that's highly unlikely.And if you put yourselves in the shoes of the Warriors, they firmly believe they can win a Premiership this year.He's not playing this weekend though, he's been dropped.He's not in the top 22 NRL squad and he's neither listed in New South Wales Cup.

So does that suggest that maybe they could let him move on?

Look, again my enquiries suggest that it's a case of Luke, go sort your future out.And no, you're not being isolated from the roster.But clearly this is a big decision, go sort it out.And I reckon personally, I think the Warriors are thinking What if he gets injured playing cup or NRL while he's in this phase of negotiation?does that impact Luke's potential future?it could leave the club rehabbing a player that doesn't want to be there.

What also happens in these situations is when a player is unsettled, often their management will seek other options to see if there is other options.

There's got to be something on the table.

That's what I'm saying.Again, we're not saying that it has happened.We can't prove that it has or anything like that.We know how the rules work in our game.We also know that people get around them.But you would think that he would have his management or someone would have sourced other options over this two, three, I don't know, four week period.

Because the jump's been quick.You don't jump if there's nowhere to go.

I was going to tell you that, because the rules stipulate you can't do that.But we all know how it works.Look, you don't have to be a genius to look around the game at clubs who could use Luke Metcalf.You know what I mean?And now he's got this clearance.The step forward is, who are the obvious contenders?

Perth.Perth are one.The Bulldogs are one.The Dragons are one.And potentially in 28, PNG.They're the four obvious calls for Luke Metcalf, probably not the only ones.

Before we get to that, because we'll talk to that, we'll talk about what options he has and where he may likely land.But Harris to Vita, yet to re -sign.They've just re -signed Boyd.Who partners Tanner moving forward?

Look, my indications are Chanel is going to re -sign Wraith.So I reckon right now it's Tanner and Chanel next season with Luke not being there.They have a young Luke Hanson coming through the system.They also have Jet Cleary coming through the system.So, they're not stressed.

That's confidence.Have confidence in those guys over a Met cast.

I want to say this, Braith.Because, with the greatest respect to the Warriors, they are out of sight.as far as the Sydney spotlight and media is concerned.We sometimes overlook the strategic decisions this club makes.Now, they let Adam Faneuil -Blake go, bringing James Fisher -Harris.They've let Murata Niakore go, they're losing Roger Toul Vasasheq, Mitch Barnett's going to the Broncos and now Luke Metcalf.

This is a club that don't worry about...Bruce Walsh?They make decisions for the betterment of the club and they don't care who the player is.And you would argue that they're a better club for it because of their swift action and decision making.And I love that.

And I'm a big fan of Andrew Webster.He knows what he's doing and we can see that with the results and the squad they've got and the way they've progressed over the last few years with him at the helm.